What makes the The Catholic Burial Society different from a traditional funeral home?

• CBS focuses on a life well lived, while most funeral homes concentrate on dealing with a death that has occurred. A funeral home sells a service with merchandise, while our Traditional Plan is a program to serve a family's needs now or in the future. CBS is an advocate for its members rather than being a product provider.

Why doesn't CBS make available more elaborate and expensive offerings?

• CBS is not in competition with your local funeral home. Families who desire an expensive funeral are well served by the local mortuary. For extravagances such as a two day viewing, limousines, excessive floral arrangements, expensive caskets and vaults, etc., we would not be your best choice.
  
  Our credo is not merely a slogan
  
  
  • Dignity and Respect, Simplicity and Economy -- is our promise to serve our members.

Our family has always used the same funeral home. Why should we call CBS?

• Families usually do not see themselves as typical savvy consumers when purchasing funerals or cremations. Calling CBS for a free consultation simply allows you to hear about choices that can be made that you may consider favorable and preferable.
  When most families have to phone a funeral home, usually they don't have a personal relationship with the owner or manager. They are simply calling into a building. Also it is very possible that the funeral home you have used in the past is now owned by an acquisition funeral group or under new management with new commercial responsibilities. CBS is not a location or a building. We are caring people who want to make a difference to our members' lives.

How can CBS offer such a high quality service at a fraction of the typical cost?

• Funeral homes have very high fixed overheads. Viewing rooms, parking lots, morgue facilities and show rooms at elegant properties set in attractive areas cost large sums. Light, heat, insurance, salaries, benefits, taxes must all be paid, along with maintaining hearses, limousines, flower cars and the like. CBS does not carry the financial burden of a funeral home and has none of these expenses. Our affiliated funeral homes and licensed funeral directors work on a contract fee per assignment making our fixed overheads negligible.
  
  Nonetheless our contracts and services must not be considered 'cheap'. It is our industry knowledge, inherent savings and buying power that makes our prices fair and reasonable.

Why are so many people choosing cremation?

• Cremation must be explained in terms of being a method of disposition, much like an earth burial or entombment. CBS offers a wide range of services from immediate cremation with or without memorial mass, to a complete service accompanied by cremation. There are many reasons why people choose cremation ranging from cost issues to arguments of ecology and land usage. Our counselors exist to explain all of the options available to our member families. We live in a new society ever more mobile, educated and consumer savvy. Our obligation is to inform members of every consideration so that the wisest choices can be made.